MADAME BUTTERFLY

III

A MOON-GODDESS TRULY

BUT his wife's family (the word has a more important
application
there than here ) held a solemn conference, and, as the result of it,
certain of them waited
upon Lieutenant Pinkerton, and, with elaborate politeness, intimated that
his course had
theretofore been quite unknown in Japan. This was their oblique way of
saying that it was
unsatisfactory. They pointed out with patient gravity that he would thus
limit his wife's
opportunities of reappearing on earth in a higher form of life.

Pinkerton smilingly remarked that he was not sure that it would
be best for his wife
to reappear on earth in a higher form. She would probably accomplish
mischief enough in
this very charming one as she was in fact doing.

" Do you know," he continued to the spokesman, " that you look
exactly like a
lacquered tragedy mask I have hanging over my desk? "

One must have seen one of these masks to appreciate this.

But they all laughed good-naturedly, as their host had designed,
and quite forgot
their errand. And Pinkerton labored that they should remember it no more.
This was quite
Japanese. In the politest way possible he made them drink his liquors and
smoke his
tobacco ( in the generous Western fashion), either of which operations
was certain to make
a Japanese very ill. This was thoroughly like Pinkerton.

They protested a deal of friendship for Pinkerton that night; but
at the final
conference, where Cho-Cho-San was solemnly disowned, none were more
gloomily
unfriendly than they who had eaten and drunken with him.

" I did the very best I could for you, little moon-goddess," said
Pinkerton to his
wife; " but they were proof against my best wine and tobacco."